Post
by learner__ » Tue Aug 19, 2025 7:23 pm
We're 9-10 months into the process and still waiting.
As far as I understand, your best chance of avoiding the 12+ months wait is to make your application look bulletproof, as when applications are initially examined at the receiving embassy some are granted without further examination in Dublin. Their two main considerations are 1) is it a real relationship and 2) does the sponsoring Irish family member have sufficient finances to support the visa applicant.
If I could go back I would be including letters from lots of people I know attesting to the relationship, my local TDs supporting the application etc.
The Visa Decisions page is of some use - but bizarrely the listed date for this kind of visa didn't move for over a year until recently. In May 2024, the longest wait time for processing as listed on that page was ~290 days. Fast forward to now and the wait time is ~700 days.
Some useful information can be found by searching for "join family visa" among Parliamentary Questions on oireachtas.ie. From there I've found that the "business target" for these visas is now 12 months - rather than 6 months as listed in the policy document. Unfortunately you can also see from recent questions that there are applications submitted in January 2024 that are still awaiting processing (more than 18 months). The whole thing is hard to understand and very frustrating.
